STAYING STRONG: David Batch believes the infrastructure at AFC is such the club don't need a chairman

Russell Claydon

Operating efficiently without a chairman merely shows the strength of AFC Sudbury as a football club, according to manager David Batch.

The Yellows have been without a figurehead since Phil Turner stepped down ahead of the season opener on August 7 — five months this week.

With no official comment coming out of the club on whether a replacement will be sought, manager Batch believes there is no rush to get one, if even at all.

“There is a saying: ‘you can see how good a kitchen is when the head chef is not there’,” he said, following a wet week which saw them forced to turn to their clubhouse gym for sessions including strength and endurance and Pilates, after two postponements.

“If there is no chairman at our football club and the committees are still making decisions efficiently with a view to our long-term plans, there is no problem at all.”

He added: “It does not make a blind bit of difference to me. I work with Mick Pearce (general football manager) still and my dealings are with him.”

The club’s chief executive, Mark Pearman, who would be in charge of a potential appointment, declined to comment on the club’s plans.

After Saturday’s game at Waltham Forest was called off, followed by Tuesday’s trip to Witham Town, AFC will have gone 14 days since playing if Saturday’s visit of fifth-from-bottom Barkingside goes ahead (3pm).

The backlog means they face eight matches next month — twice as many as Suffolk’s only professional side, Ipswich Town, and three more than both of the Manchester giants, United and City.

But Batch is unfazed by the run, saying it will be the same for other teams at their level.

The Yellows will travel to Witham on February 8, while Boxing Day’s postponement at Needham will now take place four days earlier and they will travel to Waltham Forest on February 26. AFC will face Harlow away in the quarter finals of the Robert Dyas Ryman League Cup, at a date yet to be arranged.

Two players have recently announced they have left the club in defender Ross Watson (Spalding) and winger Michael Brothers (permanent deal at loan club Stanway Rovers).